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Rebels battles against IS kills 47 militants

Xinhua, September 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

At least 47 militants were killed in rebel-on-rebel battles in a contested town in Syria's northern province of Aleppo on Saturday, a monitor group reported.

The rebels were killed during battles between an array of militant groups and the Islamic state (IS) in the vicinity of the town of Mare' in the northern countryside of Aleppo province, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based watchdog group, which has wide connections in Syria, said the fresh battles in Mare' killed 20 rebels and 27 IS militants.

Mare' is considered one of the most strategic rebel position in northern Syria. The IS has been trying to storm the town for months due to its strategic location near the Turkish borders and to cut off the rebel supply lines in northern Aleppo.

A handful of U.S.-trained Syrian rebels, known as the 30th Division, crossed into Syria from Turkey under the fire cover of the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition late last month, according to the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV.

The 30th Division, a small group of fighters trained by the United States on Turkish territories, aims to reach the town of Mare' to aid the outgunned rebels there against the repetitive attacks of the IS. Endit